While most of the ministers and deputy ministers were part of the executive, for young ministers like Mbalula and Gigaba, today’s ceremony was clearly a proud moment. Dlamini was first to take the oath and was immediately followed by the young Gigaba and Mbalula.

Ministers and Deputy Ministers who are changing from one department to another were not sworn in as they had already done so in their previous portfolios.

The newly appointed ministers are aware of the challenges facing their departments and are under pressure to deliver on the agreements signed by their predecessors.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has moved to clarify the confusion caused by the appointment of Marius Fransman to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation saying the department still has two Deputy Ministers as before.

Fransman replaces Sue van der Merwe and was not a third Deputy Minister in that department. – BuaNews

Pretoria – Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo on Monday presided over the swearing in of six new ministers and 12 deputy ministers appointed by President Jacob Zuma as part of a Cabinet reshuffle Those who took their oath at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria were Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini Public Enterprise Minister Malusi Gigaba Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant Notably absent was incoming Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile who still needs to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament Mashatile was appointed Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture when he served as Premier of Gauteng and was never sworn in the National Assembly